Gimme Shelter
by The Romantic Egotist
Summary: Power, greed, lust, & murder. The Irish mob clashes with the Italian mafia in the streets of Chicago. Can Edward and Bella survive FBI tails, jealous brothers, and a slew of people ready to knock them out of power?
1. Chapter 1 Ain't That a Kick in the Head

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Many thanks to the wonderful ladies over at Project Team Beta, especially to MrsDazzled and ElleCC who beta'd the first chapter of Gimme Shelter.

**Chapter 1**

_Ain't That a Kick in the Head_

Edward's custom-made leather shoes – imported from Italy – made a click-clack against the stone floor. The sound got progressively louder as he made his way down the hallway, closer to her and his bullshit security. The girl laughed to herself as she took in the familiar staccato rhythm of his steps. She'd laughed at his shoes once before.

"The Italians make the best shoes and the best women," he'd said to her.

The man to her left let out a chuckle, no doubt anxious for her "moment of reckoning." She snorted.

"You think this is funny, bitch?" He snatched the hair at the base of her skull, yanking her head back. She let out a tiny grunt. He leaned forward, pressing his nose to her throat and dragging it up slowly to her ear. "If I'm lucky, and I think I will be, Junior won't give two shits how we take care of you."

"Mike, shut the fuck up," the other goon ordered. He paced back and forth somewhere behind them.

The man trying to scalp her – Mike – ignored him, tugging even harder on her hair. "And before I put a bullet in your head," he whispered, "I intend to stick my cock in every God damn hole in that body of yours." She didn't shudder, shake, or shiver like he expected. She laughed.

The door swung open. Mike straightened up instantly, shoving her head forward. Her hair fell over her face.

"Look at me," a cold voice ordered. After a beat, she lifted her head. She couldn't contain the tiny grin that spread across her face when she took in the shock that flitted right through Edward's eyes when he recognized her. He halted completely, a pistol wrapped in his long fingers. She could tell by the poise of it that he wasn't planning to shoot her. His finger wasn't close enough to the trigger.

He swallowed and she nearly shivered watching his Adam's apple bob. His eyes searched her face. He took in the bruise forming on her cheek and the split in her lip that still bled. She sat on a wooden chair, her arms tied together at the wrists behind her and her legs bound at the ankles. She was dressed in what could best be described as underwear – tiny black shorts that he knew wouldn't even cover her ass and a matching black lace bra that told him one of two things – either the room was very cold, or Marie was still just as pleased by him as she was years ago when they first met.

His eyes turned cold then, and he stalked forward. He raised the pistol, and Mike grinned widely. A thump resonated when Mike dropped to the floor, his hands plastered to his face.

"What the _fuck_?" Mike shouted.

Edward dropped his hand. "What the fuck did I tell you about hitting women?" he asked, expecting no reply. She couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sorry," he turned to her then. "Did I say something fucking amusing to you?"

"I'm laughing, aren't I?" She spit then, spraying drops of blood on the tips of his shoes. "You walked in here a minute ago ready to fucking _pistol whip_ me, and now you wanna get on Mikey's case for a little rough-housing?"

Edward narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm not here to explain shit to you. _You're_ here to explain to me one, what the fuck you're doing here in Chicago; and two, why the fuck my father walked into a room with you and never walked out."

She stayed silent. Edward rolled his neck.

"Answer me, Marie," he growled. "As you know, I've got some issues with assholes beating on ladies." He paused, taking a few steps forward until he stood directly in front of her. With his free hand, he gripped her chin and forced her head up. "But I've got even more issues with my dead fucking father. I'd say _now_ would be a good time to start talking." His voice was low and quiet, but menacing. It didn't bother her at all.

"I didn't kill your father," she said simply. She even shrugged a shoulder.

"He was alive, walking into his office with you. You walked out alone. His head is hanging on by a thread. Try again."

"Oh, you mean Edward Masen Sr. then?" she asked lightly. "Well, in that case then, yes, I _do_ recall slitting that pig's fucking throat. But I didn't kill _your father_."

Edward's jaw clenched. She could hear his teeth grinding.

"By the way," she continued on, "before this conversation goes any further, I suggest you whack the kid." She nodded toward Mike. "And maybe the fella behind me, too."

"Oh?"

She nodded. "Well, if you do it now, chances are they won't suffer nearly as much."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" the guy behind her demanded.

She didn't reply to him, keeping her eyes trained on Edward instead. He held her gaze, not blinking. As he did, he lifted the gun, and a moment and a shot later, the man behind her slumped to the floor.

On the ground, Mike groaned. "What the hell?" he mumbled, trying to push himself up. She glanced at him quickly before turning back to Edward.

"My name isn't Marie," she said. "And your father isn't Edward Masen."

"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about," Edward hissed.

"Oh, but I do." She grinned. "I've got a few names y'know. Marie Dwyer... Isabella Swan... And _you_, Edward Anthony Masen Jr." She laughed. "Your name might be Masen, but I know the truth, Eddie-boy. You're a Cullen."

A split second passed before another shot rang out. There was no more groaning from Mike after that.

"Talk. _Now_."

"Untie me and I'll think about forgetting this whole thing and not mentioning it to my father."

"And why the fuck should I give two shits about your daddy?"

She smirked. "Do I have to say please?" She ran her tongue along her lip, swiping at the smudged blood. "You did seem to like my begging last time."

Letting out a growl, Edward tucked the pistol in his pants and walked around her. He yanked at the shoddy knots, freeing her wrists. He stepped around her slowly, kneeling down in front of her. He ducked his head as he worked at the rope around her ankles. His hands lingered on the smooth skin, the rough tips of his fingers drifting up over her calves.

Her pulse quickened, a light flush spreading over her chest. At her knees, his fingers dug in, pushing her legs apart. He stood slowly between them, towering over her. "Your _real_ name?"

She smiled slowly, meeting his heated gaze. "Isabella Volturi. I just go by Bella though."

"Fucking _Christ_," he swore, running his hands through his hair, gripping the strands. "Aro – _Aro_ fucking Volturi is your father?"

"The one and only."

Edward swallowed, glancing around the room. His eyes shifted back and forth from Mike and the other guard, Tyler. Two assholes his brother decided to hire. His eyes moved back to Isabella's face. Her busted lip wasn't bleeding anymore, but the shiner on her cheek was getting darker and he was just beginning to make out the shadows of light bruises along her arms and legs. He was as good as dead.

"He put a hit on Masen?" he asked quietly.

"Not exactly," Bella replied. "And if he did, you really think the head of the Italian fucking mafia was gonna send his daughter to do the dirty work?" She snorted. "This was personal."

"And I don't suppose you're gonna explain a bit of that to me, are you?" He raised an eyebrow.

"That depends. You find a way to get me out of here with none of your men seeing me, get me some decent clothes, and I'll think about it."

"Getting you out of here won't be a problem. I must admit though, I prefer what you're dressed in now." He smirked. The daughter of the head boss was sitting in front of him, bruised, dressed in her underwear, and he was flirting with her. Edward wondered absently if he'd lost his mind.

Bella shook her head, chuckling to herself. "Don't make me have to break it to your mother that her son is just as much of a pig as her ex-husband."

Edward froze.

"Oh, I didn't tell you? Esme is a close personal friend of mine. Like your father. Carlisle Cullen."

"Stay here," Edward growled before he spun and stalked out of the room. After a minute or so, Bella stood from her seat. Humming to herself, she tip-toed over to the body of Mike. She kicked his body over and crouched down, digging through the pockets of his pants and jacket.

She eyed the wad of cash she discovered, shrugging slightly before she shoved it into her bra. Edward returned before she had a chance to rob the other dead body.

"Here." He shoved an armful of clothes at her. "My brother's wife is a fat whore, so I brought you some of mine."

Bella rolled her eyes as she bent over, stepping into a pair of drawstring athletic shorts. "Your brother's wife is pregnant, not fat, jackass."

He ignored her, eying the bulge of cash between her breasts. "Pick-pocketing dead men?"

She shot him a glare, tugging the drawstrings in to keep the shorts on her hips. She tied a knot quickly. "Consider it a payoff for emotional trauma. Fucker said he planned to stick his cock in every hole I've got."

"He _what_?"

She laughed, pulling the loose shirt on over her head. "Wishing you made him suffer a little more now, huh?"

"I wish I'd shoved his fucking balls down his throat." Once she was dressed, he wrapped his fingers around her elbow, tugging her toward the door. "Let's go. If I didn't recognize you, none of the dumb fuckers here will."

She just nodded, following along. She did just slit the throat of a pretty important guy after all. Edward deserved an explanation. He led her down a completely deserted corridor, exiting through a nondescript door at the end that opened to a parking garage.

"No valet?" She cocked an eyebrow as he walked her over to an Aston Martin Vanquish. He held the passenger door open for her. She rolled her eyes as she sat. "So where're we going?" she asked as he started the car.

"My place. I don't need my dumb fucking brother hearing any of this shit."

Bella just nodded, remaining silent for the rest of the ride.

* * *

><p>"I've been fairly accommodating so far, Isabella. Now you're going to play nice and explain a few things for me. First, how the fuck you seem to know so much about my family. Second, why the fuck Edward Masen is sitting in his office, slit ear-to-ear right now."<p>

Bella leaned back into the leather comforter, taking a long look around Edward's penthouse. "All this time I thought you were one of the smart ones, Eddie. I think I've given you enough information thus far to answer at least one of those questions."

Edward stared at her, but his cold gaze wasn't intimidating her. It took more than a glare to intimidate the daughter of the top boss. He leaned back in the chair across from her, crossing his arms over his chest.

"My mother told you, didn't she?"

"Bingo!" She grinned.

"Does Carlisle know that she told you?"

Bella scoffed. "Carlisle was the one that convinced her to tell me."

Edward nodded slowly. "That doesn't explain Masen."

Bella waved a hand. "Oh please, don't even _pretend_ to be upset over that shit." She paused, cocking an eyebrow. "Unless of course... You're just jealous it wasn't you? It was only a matter of time until you or another Cullen put a bullet in his fucking head-"

"Exactly. If you know as much as you're insinuating you know, then why whack him yourself?"

Bella looked down at her lap, her jaw clenched. It was the first sign of anger she'd shown so far. "He deserved it," was all she said.

"I'm not denying that at all. Earlier, you said it was personal. What reason could _you_ possibly have for killing him yourself? Wouldn't it have been easier to wait for me or another Cullen to handle it? Or just ask daddy?"  
>Her eyes shot up. "You don't think I did? My father's hands were tied. Masen was a made fucking man. Beating the shit out of his ex-wife wasn't a valid enough reason to the rest of the bosses to knock off a made man. You think I want my father being questioned? No. He couldn't play a part in this shit. With those goons at Masen's place dead, there's no one left besides you, me, and dear old daddy Masen to connect <em>me<em> to his murder. And even if there were" – she grinned – "you think any fucker in their right mind is gonna go after Aro's daughter?"

"Hold on. You... You killed him because _why_?"

"Like I said before, Esme and I are pretty close. She told me some things and..."

"What. Things?" he seethed.

"Look, Edward Masen was a fucked up guy, and we all know it. The shit he put Esme through..." She shook her head. "I only heard half of it and it was more than e-fucking-nough. It's not my place to tell her stories though. You'd have to talk to your mother about that shit. The point is, he's fucking dead now. Won't change a damn thing about the past, but I've got the satisfaction of knowing he won't put a fucking hand on another woman."

Edward nodded grudgingly, but she had a feeling the subject would come up again.

"So, Aro Volturi is your father. Who the fuck is Phil Dwyer?" he asked after a moment.

Bella snorted. "Real name's Charlie Swan."

"Okay, and who the hell is _he_? Jesus, trying to get anything outta you is impossible."

"You expect anything less?" She sighed. "That, however, is something I can't tell you either. I mean, I guess it's partly my story to tell but." She hesitated. "I'm not exactly sure how much I can trust _you_ with. Ask Carlisle. If thinks you can be trusted, he'll tell you." She shrugged.

"Fair enough," Edward mumbled. He glanced down at his watch. "It's getting late. Do you have a place to stay here?"

"I'll find a hotel." She stood.

"I've got three guest rooms, you know. I'm not sure I want Volturi on my ass for making you stay at a hotel."

Bella laughed. "Yeah? I'm sure Dad'll be pleased to hear I spent the night with you again."

Edward paled. "You told him about that?"

She grimaced. "Of course not. Carlisle opened his big fucking mouth. You can thank me for the fact that you're still alive, by the way. I told him you were quite the gentleman, actually."

"Well." Edward grinned, looking a bit too smug. "I _was_ a gentleman. I'd say I treated you pretty well that night."

"Mmm, yes. I wonder if your manners have improved."

* * *

><p>The sun was just beginning to rise when Edward and Bella retired for the evening, though they didn't sleep. Edward lay on his side facing her, his head propped up by one hand while his other toyed with strands of her sweat–dampened hair.<p>

"Do you remember why I left?" he murmured.

"You said you could never forgive yourself for bringing someone innocent into your life."

"Do you know how hard it was to walk away from you?"

"Not as hard as it was to be walked away from," she whispered.

"Bella," he sighed, leaning down to press his lips against her hair. "You have to know I didn't want to leave."

He couldn't see it, but she rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I get it."

"This changes things," he went on. "You aren't exactly the innocent young lady I thought you were."

"You don't know the half of it, Eddie."

"You know I hate that name." He scowled.

"Yeah, I know." Bella grinned. Her expression grew serious again. "This doesn't change anything though. I was gonna tell you, you know. Everything. I knew about everything you were trying to hide from me. I felt bad that you had to go through so much effort. You were getting stressed. Even I could see it." She shrugged as well as she could, considering she was lying down still. "I talked to Carlisle about it. I went to him and I told him that I didn't really care that you were a Masen, that you were half-Irish. I told him I'd deal with my father and he'd get over it. That's when Carlisle and Esme told me the truth. You know how happy I was, Edward?"

She sat up quickly, running a hand through her hair to shove it back away from her face. "All my life up until then I was this untouchable . No one could get close to me. I couldn't go around dating 'normal' guys cause it'd only be a matter of time till they got whacked." She shook her head. "Then you come along and- I fell. Really hard, Edward. The only thing holding us back, to me at least, was the man I _thought_ was your father. And when I found out you were really Carlisle's – that you were a full-blooded Italian – I knew things would be easier. But you _left_. You couldn't even be a man and say goodbye to me in person. You left a fucking _note_, Cullen."

"If I tried to say goodbye to your face, Bella, I wouldn't have been able to leave. Try to look at things from my perspective, okay? I spent most of my time living with that Irish prick Masen, who wasn't even my father. He was a stupid fuck, but he was a pretty important guy as far as the Irish mob goes. I spent my summers in Washington with my mother and my _real_ father, who just so happens to be involved with the mafia, and one summer, I met this crazy, sexy girl next door whose father was the fucking Chief of Police. No matter how I tried to justify shit to myself, I couldn't just put you in danger like that. There's no way you could've expected me to guess you were already in deeper than I was."

"Whatever. What this boils down to is that you took a choice away from me. I'm sick and tired of having choices taken away from me, especially by men who think they know better."

"So give me another chance, Bella. Things _are_ different now. I made a mistake, a _huge_ fucking mistake, but I won't do it again. Please."

She stared at him for a beat. "Don't think I didn't know about the tails you had on me."

"They were bodyguards, Bella. You _do_ remember how we met, right?"

She smiled to herself, remembering the way Royce fucking King the Third groveled at her feet that day, crying like a baby. "No more bodyguards, Edward. I can handle myself."

He nodded after only a moment of hesitation. "No bodyguards," he agreed.

Bella chuckled quietly. "You know, being the daughter of Aro and all..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "I'm putting _you_ in a much more dangerous position than you'd ever be able to put me in. Maybe I should get some of _my_ guards on _you_."

"You can't be serious," he said. Bella cocked an eyebrow. Edward sighed. "It's your choice," he mumbled.


	2. Chapter 2 Live with Me

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's Note:** I am SO sorry about the delay of chapter 2. It's been completed for over a month actually, but _just_ after receiving the chapter back from my betas, my computer kicked the bucket. Thankfully I still had the email and was able to download the chapter again, but it took a while to get my old laptop working again. I have a few more chapters completed, but they were handwritten. I hope to get chapter 3 transcribed and sent to the betas by tomorrow, so it should be posted within the next week and a half hopefully.

Thanks to Project Team Beta and the lovely betas that worked on this chapter, itsange and Mod Sweetishbubble!

**Chapter 2: Live With Me**

_C'mon now baby, don't you wanna live with me?_

It was nearing noon the next day when Edward finally woke up. He distinctly remembered falling asleep with an arm thrown over Bella and her back nearly molded into his chest, but he couldn't feel her body anymore. Eyes still shut, he slid his hand around the empty side of the bed where Bella was supposed to be, trying to find her.

He sat up groggily, his eyes searching the bed then the nightstand, then the rest of the room for a note, but there wasn't one. She just took off without a word – or so he thought until he heard the clanging sounds coming from the kitchen. Rolling out of the bed, he grabbed a pair of boxers from his dresser and pulled them on quickly before leaving the room. He stood in the doorway of the kitchen, taking in the scene before him.

There were three different frying pans set on his stove, one with eggs, another with bacon and sausage, and a third that contained quite possibly the two thickest pieces of french toast he'd ever seen. Bella stood near the fridge, a medium sized metal bowl held in one arm against her torso. She wore nothing more than his own discarded shirt from the previous night. It just barely covered her ass. In her other hand was a wire whisk. Her head was tilted to the side, balancing a cell phone between her shoulder and ear.

"So it's okay then?" she asked. "Alright, I'll tell him." She paused. "No, I haven't heard anything yet."

He watched as she spun the whisk quickly. "As soon as I find out, I'll let you know. I doubt I'll be coming back to Seattle." She snorted. Another moment passed. "Kay, bye." She sat the bowl down on the counter before tapping the screen of the phone and putting that down. She grabbed a spatula and flipped the slices of french toast over.

"You know I know you're there right?" She laughed, picking up the handle of the pan that held two sunny-side up eggs, perfectly rounded. She tilted the pan and expertly slid the eggs onto a plate.

"I thought you left," he mumbled as he finally moved into the kitchen. Bella didn't bother replying to that. She picked up the spatula, scooping up the bacon and sausage and placing them on the plate with the eggs. Grabbing another dish, she flipped the french toast onto it. On one of the back burners was a tiny sauce pan. She picked it up and drizzled warmed maple syrup over the toast before grabbing the bowl she'd been holding earlier.

"Where the fuck were you keeping your phone yesterday?" Edward asked curiously.

"In my bra," Bella replied. With a spoon, she scooped out a few dollops of fresh whipped cream, dropping them on top of the french toast. She picked up the two plates and moved toward the breakfast bar where Edward stood.

"I knew your tits looked suspiciously bigger."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Sit," she ordered, setting the plates down in front of him. Without a word, he sat on the stool there. She grabbed a coffee mug and filled it to the brim before setting that down as well, not spilling a drop. Edward just stared at the food in front of him, his eyes drifting over each item. He didn't know where to start.

Bella moved back to the percolator, filling a cup of coffee for herself. She returned to the counter, taking a long sip.

"Aren't you gonna eat?" Edward asked as he picked up his fork, spearing a sausage link. Bella just waved her hand, taking another gulp of coffee. "Italians," he muttered under his breath, dipping the sausage into the yolk of an egg before taking a bite.

"Everything okay?" she asked, watching him devour the food.

"Better than okay, Bella. Your food is fucking divine and you know it."

She smirked to herself, looking pleased as she glanced over his breakfast. Her face scrunched up. "Did you want some juice? Or milk?"

Edward set down his fork. "Fucking Christ, Bella, this isn't old country. If I want some juice, I'll get up and get it myself. Now eat something, please."

"I don't eat breakfast." She shrugged. Edward just shook his head, biting his tongue.

Italian women very rarely sat down to eat with the people they cooked for. They made sure every plate was full and everyone had everything they wanted before making a plate of leftovers for themselves. He'd watched Esme over the years, running around the dinner table, scooping more pasta and sauce onto everyone's plates. She'd fill the wine glasses when they got too low. She'd have his father's bread buttered for him before he could reach for the plate. Then she'd tuck herself into the kitchen and take a few bites of her own plate before running back to the table and checking on everyone. It was archaic and a bunch of bullshit as far as Edward was concerned, and he wasn't too happy seeing Bella doing the same.

"That was Carlisle, by the way." She nodded toward the cell phone.

"Yeah?" Edward swallowed, taking a sip of coffee. "What'd he want?"

She shrugged. "Wanted to know about the funeral arrangements. And the casino. He wants to make sure you're taking over."

Edward chuckled wryly. "Masen was an asshole, not an idiot. You think he'd leave that shit to James?" He shook his head. "So." He paused. "You aren't going back to Seattle?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "I hate that place. It's so fucking boring."

Edward nodded. "What were you doing there anyway?" He watched as she walked back to the stove and started collecting the pans. "Is that another thing you can't tell me just yet?"

She shrugged a shoulder halfheartedly, bringing the pans to the sink. "No. Carlisle said I can tell you whatever I want." She turned on the faucet and loaded up the sponge with plenty of dish soap.

"Well, that's good." Edward chuckled. "It's kinda funny, you know. You trust me enough to fall asleep in my bed, but you can't talk without Carlisle's fucking permission."

She glanced over her shoulder at him, sending him a cold glare. "You know your father is our consigliere, right?"

"When the fuck did that happen?"

"End of last year," she replied. "It wasn't something he could just say on the phone, you know. It's not just the Feds he's gotta worry about with you. Ed and Jimmy had too many ears around you most of the time. And don't try to push that shit on me. Walking out on me didn't exactly help build any trust between us."

"I know." Edward sighed. "And I'm sorry about that–"

"I'm done with the apologies, okay? That's done and over with, case-closed." The way she scrubbed angrily at the pan in her hands said otherwise, but even though Edward had just recently learned her _real_ name, he was already familiar with her temper. He didn't say a word.

"Anyway, it's not that I don't trust you. You know this business just as well as I do. It's not like I didn't want to tell you, but all that shit in Washington was pretty big. We couldn't tell _anyone_ the truth."

"My father was there to watch out for you, wasn't he?"

Bella nodded. "Around the time that I was born, there was a lot of tension. Everyone knew my father was gonna take over one day, and not everyone was okay with that." She hesitated. "When I was four, my mom disappeared. It was a warning. Aro's sister Marietta, my aunt, was living out in Vegas at the time. The casinos out there were money-machines for the Italians back then. Well, Etta shacked up with Charlie Swan... a cop. The family was bullshit." She chuckled. "He knew what was going on, but for the sake of his wife, he kept his mouth shut. I mean, he wasn't a big deal. Just a regular boy-in-blue, not a Fed. The closest he got to organized crime before he married Etta was a planned gas station hold-up."

She finished up the dishes and walked back to the breakfast bar. She looked pointedly at the plates in front of Edward. "Eat." He rolled his eyes but tucked back into his food.

"Etta was a fucking moron. She liked gambling, and lost almost every fucking penny they had. Instead of going back to her brother and asking for money, she started borrowing. Owed a lot of money − money she wasn't gonna be able to pay back. Well, you know how Vegas muscle works. They don't give a fuck who they're roughing. So Charlie calls my father. Now this is two months after my mother is officially declared dead. Aro's going out of his fuckin' mind, thinking someone's coming after _me_ next. He wanted me out of Italy, and away from him. He figured that was the easiest way to keep me safe. So he cuts a deal with Charlie and Etta. He paid off their debts, got the Vegas boys off their backs, and sent me to live with them. They were supposed to pretend I was their kid. He moved them out of Vegas, to some shitty podunk town in Michigan. Carlisle was there too, so I spent pretty much all my time growing up in his house. I went out to the store with Charlie or Etta every few weeks for appearance's sake, but it was Carlisle that raised me."

"This was before he married Esme, right?"

Bella nodded. "Yeah. He was still with Elizabeth back then, but they were fighting all the time. I think she found out about Esme. She wanted to leave him, but she didn't wanna leave Jazz." She shrugged.

"So what happened in Michigan?"

"Etta and Charlie weren't getting along so splendidly either. She wanted out." Bella sighed. "They got a divorce. No one was worried about Etta talking, I mean, she'd only be selling out her own family, right? And there was no way Aro was gonna trust her with _me_. But everyone was worried about Charlie. He wasn't married into the family anymore, so what was gonna stop him? All that worryin' was for nothing though. Carlisle's our consigliere for a reason. The man's a fucking genius. He had Charlie so tied up in shit... Gambling, money laundering... You name it. At first it was just insurance, but they actually turned out to be pretty good friends. A cop and a gangster." Bella laughed. "'Sides, I think Charlie liked the power, you know? Anyway, all that time spent on making sure Charlie wasn't a threat would've been more useful with your father's ex-wife."

"Lizzie? What does she have to do with anything?"

"I told you, she wanted out. She knew Carlisle didn't love her, she knew he only kept her around 'cause of Jazz, and she knew the day Esme could walk away from Masen she'd be gone. So, she talked."

"To Feds?"

Bella snorted. "No. Those assholes can't touch Carlisle. But she knew who I was, and she knew that Carlisle was the only man Aro would trust to watch out for me. If something happened to me, it was his head on the chopping block."

"My father killed Lizzie didn't he?"

Bella nodded. "Charlie helped bury her. And then we were shipped off to Forks, Washington around the time that Esme finally grew a pair of balls and left Masen. Charlie Swan became Phil Dwyer. I became Marie Dwyer. And there you have it."

There was a long moment of silence. "Does Jasper know?"

"No. I think he suspects though."

"You and Phil – Charlie – seemed pretty close."

"We spent a lot of time with Carlisle and Esme but..." she trailed off. "When you started coming around for visits and holidays, Charlie and I stuck to our place. Carlisle said it was too risky having us around you, considering the man you lived with most of the time. I guess in the downtime, Charlie and I bonded. I mean, he's not my dad, he's not even really related to me anymore but, I love Charlie. He's a good guy, you know? He got caught up in a lot of shit when he married Etta, and if he _really_ wanted to, I guess he could've walked away. But he stuck it out. He didn't rat on our family, and he never resented me. Plus –" Bella grinned "– he was a great shot and taught me everything he knew."

Edward laughed. He noticed Bella's eyes shift down to his empty breakfast plates. Before she could move, he snatched them up, along with both coffee cups. "You aren't my fucking maid," he grumbled, bringing them over to the sink.

"Fine." She stepped around the counter, sitting on the stool Edward had vacated. "My turn to ask the questions."

Edward glanced back at her, giving her a tiny nod. "Ask away."

"When did you find out Masen wasn't your father?"

"I knew that would be first." Edward sighed. "I was fourteen when they told me, but I was slightly suspicious a while before that. Esme left Masen when I was twelve, and for a few months after that, they were always fighting on the phone and shit about custody. They couldn't exactly go through the courts," he said wryly.

Bella snickered.

"When she finally got Masen to settle for shared custody, I spent my first summer with her and Carlisle." Edward paused, thinking back on the first time he met his father. "Carlisle sent his personal jet to Chicago to have me picked up. They were waiting there at the airport for me..." his voice trailed off. He swallowed, his eyes trained on the few dishes he'd just finished washing. "I'll never forget the look on my mother's face when she saw me. And Carlisle had the same look. And the way he hugged me–" he stopped abruptly, shaking his head. "I think I knew then, even if I didn't acknowledge it. But I wasn't surprised when they sat me down and told me everything."

"Did you decide right then that you were gonna follow Carlisle? Or..."

"...Or, what?"

Bella shrugged. "Well, I mean, Masen was a fucking bastard. But I guess in a way he was still your dad... For a while, at least. And _he_ was under the impression you were his son so I can't imagine him doing anything to, you know, hurt you. It just sounds like you had a pretty big decision to make. Follow in the footsteps of Masen and take over the Irish turf around here one day, or take after Carlisle and get made." She chuckled. "And there's the third option, of course. You could've walked away from it all, I guess."

"Who the fuck in their right mind is gonna walk away from the mob, or the Mafia? Walking away from either is like signing your own death warrant. Both would figure I went rat." He stayed quiet before he turned and walked back to the counter, leaning down on his forearms in front of her.

"On my fourteenth birthday, Masen gave me my first gun. He taught me how to hold it. He taught me how it worked. And then he told me that one day, I was gonna take his place. I didn't know what he meant. He took me downstairs to the basement with James trailing behind. A few of his guys were there, and there was one guy tied to a chair with this bright fucking light on him. He told me and James to stay back and watch.

"He beat the fuck outta that guy. I don't remember what he asked him, but he didn't like the answers. So he called me over and he asked me how to take the safety off. I told him. He asked me to show him, so I did. He asked me to show him how to hold the gun, so I did. He got behind me and put his hands over mine, but my finger was on the trigger. He helped me aim. And he told me to shoot. And I did."

There was a long period of silence. Unlike their usual comfortable silence, this one was awkward.

"I made my first kill at fourteen too," Bella offered, one shoulder lifting awkwardly. "It was just a deer but..." Her cheeks reddened when her attempt at humor failed. Edward smiled slightly, to make her feel better.

"It didn't bother me as much as I expected it to. Killing, I mean. I thought I'd have nightmares for the rest of my life, but I slept like a baby that night. I don't know what that guy did, but he must have done something." He snorted. "Who the fuck am I kidding? He probably looked at Masen the wrong way." He rolled his eyes. "After that, he sent me upstairs to get changed and he took me out to dinner. He told me I'd never have to worry about a thing. He said I'd be able to shoot anyone I want, fuck anyone I want, and do anything I want. Told me I was gonna live a life without rules. At fourteen, that life sounded fucking amazing.

"Then, when I was fifteen, Carlisle sat me down in his office. By then I knew he was my real father, but a part of me was still ready to take over for Masen one day. It was expected. Carlisle was really upfront about everything. He told me about the shit he did, and the shit he planned to do. He told me as much about Cosa Nostra as he could. He actually fucking apologized for being involved in the Mafia because he knew how much it affected my mother's life, and if word got out about him being my real father, it'd really fucking affect my mine. I was going through a rebellious stage then." Edward snorted. "I was pissed at Carlisle and Esme for hiding so much shit from me. I didn't get it then." He shrugged. "I still don't get it, why the fuck they just left me with Masen, but what-the-fuck-ever."

"They had their reasons, Edward," Bella started quietly.

"Yeah, I'm sure they did. Try explaining that to a fifteen year-old kid with anger management problems. Anyway, I didn't make any decisions until I was seventeen. Masen's guys got a little sloppy with some drugs. Fucking Narcs almost knocked down our door and dragged him out. Two days later, he was safe home and Miguel Rojas was in custody."

"Masen ratted?"

Edward nodded. "Sold out the biggest fucking Colombian drug lord of our generation to get off. No one knows but Masen, the Narcs, me, and now you. His guys fucked up and instead of being a fucking man, he talked. I was bullshit. The Irish don't have rules, you know. They don't give a fuck – there's no respect there. The Italians are different. I made my mind up that day, and I told Carlisle that summer that I wanted to join the family."

He looked up then, noticing the pensive expression on Bella's face. Her eyes were open and she was looking at him, but they were glazed and unfocused as if she were looking right past him.

"Bella?"

She startled slightly, her eyes focusing again. "That was the summer we met, wasn't it?"

Edward nodded and parted his lips, about to ask what she'd just been thinking when he was cut off by a ringing. He rolled his eyes and pushed himself away from the counter, moving quickly back to his bedroom. He grabbed his cell off the nightstand and saw the notification for a missed call. Before he could call back, the phone started ringing again.

"What the fuck do you want, James?" he answered. He heard footsteps behind him and looked back at Bella who stood in the doorway. He held the phone away from his hear until the yelling died. "James, calm the fuck down and tell me what happened." He grinned at Bella while James ranted in his ear. "And they didn't catch the fucker?"

A few moments passed.

"Mike _and_ Tyler? Jesus, who the fuck..." he let his voice trail off on purpose. He listened halfheartedly as James went on and on, watching curiously as Bella moved into the room.

"No, I have no idea who could've done it," he mumbled into the phone as Bella begun unbuttoning her shirt. "Check the– " He coughed. "Check the security tapes." Inch by inch, her pale skin was exposed. More yelling from the phone. More skin. "How the fuck could they be blank?" The shirt fell from her shoulders, dropping to the floor. She winked at him before moving toward the bathroom. "I just fucking woke up, how the fuck should I know?" Edward swallowed when he heard the sound of the shower running. He sighed.

"Look, let me get dressed. I'll be there in a fucking hour," he nearly growled, ending the call and tossing the phone back on the nightstand. The bathroom door opened and Bella popped her head out.

"Coming?" she asked.

Edward cocked an eyebrow. "Hopefully."

* * *

><p>"So what's gonna happen now?" Bella asked, watching Edward fix his tie.<p>

"James found the body – bodies," he corrected himself. "He's pretty distraught." Edward snickered. "I've gotta head into the office to take care of shit."

"Try to look at least a little concerned. You weren't very convincing on the phone."

Edward shot her a look as he stuffed his wallet and phone into their pockets. "You weren't very _clothed_ while I was on the phone. What the fuck did you expect?" He grinned and tossed a wad of cash on the dresser. It was folded and wrapped in a solid gold clip. "I'll send my assistant Alice over with some clothes. She'll take you shopping for whatever you need."

"Whatever I need?"

"Well, you aren't planning on going back to Seattle, right? You'll need – you know – clothes and shit." Edward shrugged.

"How much does Alice know?"

"Everything." He paused. "Except who _your_ father is. She's good, she can be trusted. But it's up to you if you wanna tell her any of the other shit."

Bella nodded. "Will she be able to help me find an apartment? Or do you have a private realtor on hand for that shit?"

Edward raised an eyebrow. "What the fuck do you need an apartment for?"

"As you pointed out, I'm not going back Seattle. And I'm not too keen on moving to Italy. So I figure, why not Chicago?"

"Yeah, well," Edward hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. "Why not just stay here?"

"Why not stay here?" Bella repeated. She looked around the room. "Because you live like a fucking slob, and I'd go crazy."

Edward laughed awkwardly. "No, really. You should just stay here."

Bella glanced down at the floor, chewing on her lower lip. "Look," she started, looking back up at Edward. "I know we decided to give this shit a try and all, but move in?" She shrugged a shoulder. "You don't think that's a little soon? I mean, you just learned my name yesterday."

"Bella," he deadpanned. "I just learned your _real_ name yesterday. It's not like we just met." He rolled his eyes. "We were pretty close at one point, you know."

"Exactly. We _were_. And then you walked out."

Edward sighed, throwing his hands up. "I thought you said that case was closed, huh? Jesus Christ, woman, I can't fucking win with you."

"See? You're already annoyed with me and I haven't even moved in." Bella smirked before growing serious again. "You really think this is a good idea? I mean, if word gets out about who I am, you're gonna have a lot of questions on your hands."

"No one around here has any fucking clue who you are. Stop coming up with bullshit excuses. Why don't you wanna stay here?"

Bella shook her head. "Fucking forget it. I'll stay here."

Edward watched her for a few moments before moving toward her. "I'm glad you'll be staying here, but I still wanna know why the fuck you don't want to." He leaned his head down, kissing her cheek. "We can talk about that tonight. I need to get to the office before James has a nervous fucking breakdown." Bella just nodded, waving him off.


	3. Please Read

Hello everyone. I really hate doing this because I feel like I'm making excuses, but I've had a lot of messages lately about continuing _Gimme Shelter_ and a lot of people asking for the PDF copies of (incomplete) _Sympathy for the Devil_ and _The Killing Moon_. I haven't been purposefully ignoring these messages. It's been quite a year for me. I basically lost my entire hard drive last year when my computer took a spill. That hard drive contained the PDFs and the completed story _Gimme Shelter_.

Aside from computer issues, there was a lot going on in my family, between people losing jobs and a death that hit all of us pretty hard. I've just know managed to get myself a brand new laptop and I'm transcribing notebooks full of handwritten chapters. _Sympathy for the Devil_, _The Killing Moon_, and _Gimme Shelter_ will all be continued and re-posted, along with a slew of new (and completed) stories.

I'm almost thankful that this happened, because not being able to write and post made me take a step back and reconsider the plots of the three stories mentioned above. My writing has grown exponentially since their original postings, and I did quite a lot of editing and restructuring. Within the next week, I should have their polished and rewritten first chapters up once again. For those of you that will continue to read my writing, thank you. And for those of you left too frustrated by my previous lack of updates, I understand wholeheartedly.


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